Winter Thoughts

This kitten needs mittens. I want to make mittens using the Rowan Big Wool Frap procured for me. My "problem" is that I don't want to use size 17 dpns because I will never use them again and it will be a waste of money. There should be a needle swap of sorts, kind of like Netflix. Pay a deposit and you borrow a pair of needles. Return the needles and you get your deposit back. No needles, and they keep your deposit. Brilliant idea. Somebody is going to steal it and make millions off my idea. Oh bother. Anyway, I am stuck with mittens knitted using straight needles. Except those have a squared off top instead of a rounded top. Can I live with that? I don't know. But I want to knit with my BW, so I best make up my mind ASAP. Maybe I can get away with using smaller dpns. I could consider that. Hm.

Christmas is coming. I need gift ideas for my kitties. What should I get them? Last year, my gift from QE was a cat tree for the kids. I transferred my gift rights to them. :) This year, I think a mini-Christmas tree with cat toys and cat-safe decorations would be hilarious. It would drive QE crazy though. And Davis would eat the fake needles. Maybe a real mini Charlie Brown-esque tree? I can't bear the thought that a tree had to die for us though. A pink feather tree!!!! Oh, the kitties would love that. hahaha

So the mashed potatoes I'm making for Thanksgiving (12 servings) calls for 6 pounds of potatoes, 2 sticks of butter, and at least a cup of cream or half and half. It seems like a lot of butter and cream. Best price on Land O'Lakes butter is at Harris Teeter--2 for $5. My wonderful QE knows I like to hoard butter and bought three pounds. LOVE him.

My big dilemma is whether to contribute food to the people who feed the cats at the train station. These cats are all very tiny adults with the cutest little faces. They know when it's dinner time. The thing is, these people are making no efforts to spay and neuter the cats. As a result, we see new tiny faces all the time. We shouldn't feed stray/feral cats unless we make an effort to trap and neuter. Otherwise, we are only encouraging the cats to produce larger litters. So, do I contribute the food I have to these cats? It's food I don't feed my kids but got for free through samples and coupons. I should give them to the local shelter, but I can't walk in there without crying. Do I leave the food out for cats passing through our yard?